WINDSOR, ON — When the two-year-old trotting fillies parade onto the Windsor Raceway oval for their $130,000 Gold Final Sunday evening, John Ferguson will get his first look at Caught My Eye in over six weeks.

“I wasn’t there for her first start, I was out in Vancouver to the hockey draft, but I was on the phone to Sudbury, you can be sure of that,” says the Windsor resident. “I was in Ottawa last weekend, we had to go to a wedding, and I missed the two in Flamboro because I was busy with the hockey, but I won’t be missing too many more. It’s pretty exciting to have a filly like her.”

While Ferguson was racking up air miles, Caught My Eye was crafting a four race win streak. She captured a Trillium Series division at Sudbury Downs on June 24 with a 2:07.4 front end effort, then went to Flamboro Downs for Gold Series action and delivered off the pace victories in both the July 1 elimination and the July 8 final, lowering her personal best to 2:03.1 and then 2:00.1. Last week in Windsor driver Bill O’Donnell opted for a return to front end tactics and Caught My Eye cruised to a three and three-quarter length victory in 2:00.

Ferguson, trainer Frank O’Reilly of Orton and John Fielding of Toronto selected Caught My Eye out of last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale, going to $55,000 to acquire the daughter of Angus Hall and Lookin At You Babe. While it was the filly’s conformation and breeding that initially caught their eye, it was quickly apparent that she had brains and talent to match.

“She was so smart all winter long. She took to trotting, she was smart after we broke her and smart on the racetrack,” says Ferguson. “She’s all business on the track.”

As Special Consultant to San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson, Ferguson’s time is limited in the spring, but he managed to squeeze in a trip to Mohawk Racetrack to see Caught My Eye and stablemate Garden Magic qualify on June 9. Garden Magic delivered a solid lead off effort, finishing second and trotting in 2:06.2, and then Caught My Eye cruised to an effortless four and a half length victory in 2:05.3.

“I was really impressed with her qualifier,” says Ferguson. “I was at Mohawk that morning sitting with Doug Ackerman and he was mighty impressed with Garden Magic. I said, �I think the other one’s a little better,’ and after Caught My Eye qualified he said, �You were sure right about her.'”

Caught My Eye and O’Donnell will defend their Gold Final title, and attempt to extend their win streak to five, from Post 4 in the eighth race on Sunday evening. The other elimination winners, Tymal Timeout and Disco Inferno, will start from Posts 1 and 3 in the $130,000 battle.

“We drew the four-hole,” says Ferguson hopefully, “Still, you don’t want to think too much, just let her race. I’ll be stall walking for the next four days.”

Post time at Windsor Raceway on Sunday evening is 7 pm and the two-year-old trotting fillies will battle for Gold Series supremacy in Race 8.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/ewrfsu.html#N8